This week on Photojournalism Now: Friday Round Up – the finalists of the 2021 Bowness Photography Prize are announced.
Plus check out Photo Collective, the new initiative from APA’s Tom Goldner and Harriet Tarbuck. The website features inspirational interviews, articles, profiles and information on the APA and Stories Awards. Check out my latest piece on Kerry Pryor’s Dear Kittu, Bridging a Gap Through Personal Narrative. There’s also Stephen Dupont’s post Fucked Up Fotos, which is a great read. There’s so much rich content to access. Definitely worth a look.
Photo Collective is in the process of curating its first photography print magazine. Lots happening. The Photo Collective team have great energy and a commitment to shape the concept into a forum for celebrating, showcasing and discussing Australian photography in all its forms.
Award:
2021 Bowness Finalists
The 2021 Bowness Photography Prize attracted over 730 entries and 1700 images this year providing what MGA Gallery Director and Bowness judge Anouska Phizacklea describes as “a unique insight into what is current within society.”
Fifty-two finalists have been selected, the artists “responding powerfully to the impact COVID has had on society.” Themes encompass notions of isolation, protest, hope and celebration.
As Phizacklea observes, “These works were made by artists in the midst of COVID restrictions, made in a COVID bubble, and signs of our lived experiences as we wade through this new normal can be seen in works that delve inwards, to more domestic interiors, to landscapes and portraiture that provides insights into the lives of Australians.”
It’s an impressive list that features both well and lesser-known photographic artists. There are also photojournalists who are dipping into the fine art world, like Meredith O’Shea with the extraordinary portrait of her son that evokes an ethereal stillness (below). As is often the case in competitions that attract diversity, there are images that will no doubt cause heated debate in various circles. While I lean toward documentary (surprise, surprise) rather than conceptual photography, there are some really engaging, interesting and eccentric works in this year’s collection.
The winning artist receives $30,000 and the work is acquired by MGA. The winner will be announced on 16 September at MGA.
The 2021 Bowness Photography Prize finalists:
Leith Alexander, Svetlana Bailey, Kate Ballis, Lauren Bamford, Gabrielle Bates, Tom Blachford, Paul Blackmore, Christophe Canato, Danica Chappell, Benjamin Cole, Nici Cumpston, Tamara Dean, Marian Drew, Jo Duck, Liss Fenwick, Silvi Glattauer, Richard Glover, Rebecca Griffiths, Joanne Handley, Jesse Harvey, Ponch Hawkes, Joseph Häxan, Petrina Hicks, Edi Ivancic, Angelique Joy, Tony Kearney, Ingvar Kenne, Shea Kirk, Honey Long and Prue Stent, Paula Mahoney, Harry McAlpine, Joseph McGlennon, Rod McNicol, Danie Mellor, Hayley Millar Baker, Mark Mohell, Lillian O’Neil, Meredith O’Shea, Ashley Perry, Patrick Pound, Ruiqi Qiu, Tonina Ryan, Amber Schmidt, Jessica Schwientek, Christopher Sheils, Melissa Spiccia, Ali Tahayori, Christian Thompson, Angela Tiatia, James Tylor, Justine Varga and Amy Woodward.
The 2021 Bowness exhibition opens on 9 September and run until 7 November. Visit MGA for details.
Photojournalism Now 